Antidepressants

Who benefits from Antidepressants? Children and Young People How do Antidepressants work? Serotonin Noradrenaline Re-Uptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) Tetracyclics Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) Noradrenaline and Specific Serotonin Antidepressants (NaSSAs) Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (NaRIs) Myths About Antidepressants

	A reversible MAOI is moclobemide (e.g. Aurorix, Arima, Chem mart Moclobemide, DBL Moclobemide, Healthsense Moclobemide. Irreversible MAOIs are phenelzine sulfate (Nardil) and tranylcypromine sulfate (Parnate).
	Side-effects are similar to those caused by the tricyclic antidepressants. Dizziness may be a significant problem with the MAOIs, but the heart is much less affected than with tricyclic antidepressants.
	Irreversible MAOIs can cause problems because of the way they interact with certain substances. Other than for phobia and panic disorders, irreversible MAOIs are not usually the doctor's first choice of antidepressant medication because they can interact with certain foods and other substances containing tyramine, causing a severe rise in blood pressure. (This is not a problem with the reversible MAOI moclobemide.) People prescribed a MAOI will need to avoid foods known to have a high tyramine content including cheese, beer, Chianti wine, soy and fish sauces, smoked, pickled or aged meat and fish, Vegemite/Marmite, banana skins, avocado, liver and broad bean pods. A full list of prohibited foods should be obtained from your doctor or dietician.

Drugs that cannot be taken with irreversible MAOIs include:

	ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (contained in many over-the-counter cold and flu preparations)
	amphetamines
	barbiturates
	opiates
	cocaine
	Other MAOIs, tricyclic antidepressants, SSRI or SNRI antidepressants